Animals: Love  Hate  Sex  Pain
by Moody-Muse
Summary: Rid/Riv. Two related song fics. One deals with River and Riddick and how they come to be. The second deals with what happens when the Tams meet their offspring's crew-family-pack.
1. Chapter 1

River hangs from the pull-up bar in the makeshift gym on Serenity. Her eyes rest on the inverted image of Riddick as he stands telling Jayne about his third prison break.

"Mei mei! We're getting ready to settle on land for a few hours, do you need drugs to block out the sounds?"

River rolls her eyes at Simon and pulls her body up in a crunch type motion, but she lets her core stay tight and lifts a hand to position herself so she sits atop the bar, facing the wall. She speaks to the metal, "Negative brother boob. We settle for a job, one she will be needed on. If she is stuck with needles and pins she will be less effective and then there will be crimson not caused by her dance of leafs and ribbons."

Simon blinks at his sister, concern written on his face as he steps closer, wanting to protect her though she was as sane as she ever would be and the only time she took the meds was when they were used against her to ease the worries of her crew-pack-family.

Across the way from River, Riddick lifts an arm to bar Simon back and Jayne smirks at him.

"She's sayin' no doc, moonbrain means to keep crew blood unspilled an' way I see it means I ain't gonna be getting' hurt. So, leave 'er be pansy ass or we're gonna start thinkin' ya gots a itch to have us bleedin' and such."

Simon glares at Jayne for his words and then at Riddick for stopping him. When he turns to look at his sister she is no longer on the bar but right before him, an inch away from the arm before him. He jumps and takes a step back, unnerved by his baby sister and the way she moves-it reminds him that she is no longer just a graceful ballerina girl, now she is a witchy assassin weapon.

River's eyes glass a bit with tears as she looks at her brother and she glances down. "She thanks the reaper and the guard."

Riddick's eyes narrow behind his goggles, see the silver hues lighten in the girls eyes and he stays quiet but pushes the doc farther back. Jayne grins, "Go'n to do yer part Simon, we'll handle the tough stuff."

Simon turns away, rushes from the cargo bay and to the engine room to help Kaylee with anything that may go amiss in Wash's landing.

Riddick watches River as Jayne watches Simon leave. When Jayne turns to the witch she's hanging from the bar once more, dress pooling around her waist as a belt holds her blades and the dress down just above her belly button. She wears dancer's shorts beneath and Jayne growls to see his gun strapped on her thigh.

"If you try to take what is hers she will spill your blood and allow our targets to reopen the wounds once on Amadeus."

Riddick's booming laughter makes Jayne scowl and River smiles at him but he seems to ignore her and his mind is only a hum to her. A hum that changes, that she dances to but a hum that does not share with her his thoughts on anything. It seems if he wished it he could silence his mind completely from her but he hums and River can hear the messages he conveys with the tones and melodies in the hum, can hear if he needs a spot to aim at or wants her to play as a distraction so he can be the reaper.

"That is my ruttin' girl on your thigh an' iff'n I gotta come over there you're gonna be the one blooded bit. Give. Me. Back. My. Rosa."

River sighs, flips from the bar and steps once toward him. Suddenly, she bolts and runs out the hallway and Riddick laughs quietly, looks to Jayne. "Seems she ain't scared of you guard."

"Can it."

"Bit needs a thrashin', she just been causin' stir all gorram too much 'round here." Both men ignore the captain and Mal huffs, leans against the rail as Inara stands with him. "Why's it I keep them around?"

"Public relations and familiars to dance with your witch."

"Oh. Right. Ruttin shame there's real reasons."

Riddick doesn't glance up at them, instead looks toward the hall behind Jayne where the witch's smell of opium and burned blood filters through. "You think havin' me on your side ain't too shiny cap'n, I can walk off and you can look forward to the interestin' day when we meet again."

Jayne snorts, mutters to just Riddick, "Ain't likely you'll walk off what with your bein' kinda tied to a little demon."

"I will end you."

"She scares me more than you do."

Riddick keeps quiet as Mal laughs tightly and Inara says something about him being on their side and miracles or fate or some such.

But his focus is on the girl skulking in, quietly behind Jayne.

A pale hand flashes around his side and Jayne jumps and drops a hand to his gun with a startled grunt, then freezes as he sees Rosa in River's hand.

He snatches it and glares at the chuckling Riddick as he turns to River.

"Ain't so crazy, crazy. See reason when ya know I'd ruttin' skin ya alive."

River's eyes narrow and she strikes out at Jayne, a fist to his jaw and he sees red.

Riddick grabs a hand to the nape of his neck and squeezes, knowing by now the primal warning is all that works when he's seeing red.

"You're clouded when it comes to her Jayne."

Jayne frowns at that and blinks clear the red.

"Look closer." Riddick growls.

Jayne looks at his gun and then at River and she raises her leg and her dress skirt shifts and bunches around her thigh. The silver gun still cuddles into its holster and shines against her black encased thighs.

River's eyes are still narrowed and Jayne growls begrudgingly as Riddick releases him. "Fine."

"Say it guard."

"Ruttin no way in gorram hell."

"Fine."

Jayne is quiet, not ready to apologize and not at all prepared for River to let go of the fight he thought was brewing so soon.

A moment of silence passes, in which Riddick moves to the punching bag and starts going at it.

"That's it?"

River smiles, floats to the bag and with a jump lets Riddick's punch place the bag just so under her feet so she pushes off, sending it back toward the reaper and her body is high enough that she grabs the chains the bag hangs from. Pulling with just her arms she goes up and up until the six chains attached to the bag become the one chain attached to the ceiling and she lets her legs clamp the silver between her thighs before she lowers her torso to hang free.

Mal and Inara are gone, otherwise frantic screams for her safety would abound and Jayne stares and gulps as Riddick keeps punching, harder now to try and keep himself from staring at the witch. Every hit swings her and River's eyes close and she sings quietly to herself, the words of the reaper's hums that she crafts for herself. She doesn't know he hears her just as he smells her, just as he always knows where she is or how he thinks on her so much that his beast and man had decided she was theirs.

Jayne shifts, "This seems bad."

Riddick punches harder and grins, "She's gonna take her pay from you on the job. Watch out, she might be a little behind in her warnings."

River snorts and Riddick looks up as does Jayne.

"She is not so low as to let another do her job. She is not so nice as to let another make what is hers hurt. Retribution shall be paid, but only when the guard is not required to keep the world spinning."

Jayne gulps and cusses a string of Mandarin, a mix of phrasing stolen from Riddick, adapted by River and worthy of clearing out a room of criminals with heads ducked and blushing.

"River! I'm ruttin' sorry!"

River opens her eyes, twists her back a bit and looks down at them. A smile covers her face and her eyes are almost all black from her strong emotions, pupils dilated as she speaks, "That won't help you now guard."

The reaper laughs and the hum shifts, more bass and heavier, darker, drawn out with the contrast of a high bell seeming to echo with every breath.

* * *

><p>It's after the job runs smoothly and Wash has them up in the air that Riddick appears at the door of the infirmary.<p>

Simon turns from the table where a body supports a sterile, white sheet. He glares ice at him and Riddick keeps his face clear as his beast growl in him.

A hand lifts and settles on Simon's arm, squeezes and he nods and leaves.

Riddick looks at the alert River and he sniffs the air, knows she's refused drugs. He moves closer and tries to see the wound that should be his.

"Don't look."

Riddick ignores her and his hand grabs the sheet back and when he pulls it back she hisses a breath and turns her head away from him.

River lays stiff and tries to ignore Riddick. It's easy, he's not in her head but for the deep hum that is slow and sorrowful now with the harsh edge of anger.

Riddick ghosts a hand over River's stomach, she's bare but for the shorts, a black sports bra. Her blade belt had been shot through and Kaylee had taken her gun and the ruined belt and dirty blades to clean them for her sister-in-law. Riddick knows by memory that the shot hurts like a bitch and he knows the surgery is a beast of pain with drugs, without he imagines she must be in a fevered world of torture. Because she took his bullet.

A growl starts in his chest and River clenches her jaw, "The reaper was not heeding her warnings, he was focused on killing the one who kept saying the witch would be a good pet and the guard and captain a good fertilizer. The pig man was sighting you, shot to the back just so, you'd be paralyzed but still feeling. They wanted torture."

Riddick places the sheet back and River looks at him now. He sees her eyes darker, knows they must be mostly black now and her muscles are all tense.

His silence beckons her on, the hum grounds her through the haze of anger and pain.

"I would not allow those surfs to touch and tarnish what is mine."

The voice is like a sharp blade on ice and he inhales the heady scent of her, the opium and burned blood twining with smoldering cinnamon clove and the ice of the last second's thought before death.

It hits him.

And by the way her dark eyes look away she knows just by the tilt of his head that he knows.

* * *

><p>Jayne strides toward the engine room, glances in and sees no Kaylee. He moves to Inara's shuttle and knocks.<p>

"Enter."

Jayne walks in, sees Kaylee and Inara sat around a towel with River's weapons and holders between them.

He sets by them and Inara smirks to him. "Riddick?"

"With 'er now."

Kaylee sighs, "Other's are gonna throw a fit when it happens."

Zoe's voice answers and Jayne glances at her as she waddles to them with a hand over her belly all full of kid, "Because they're big idiots with their heads up their asses."

Inara nods, thinking of her lover and Kaylee's husband, of Zoe's husband.

"Way I sees it, shoulda happened a lot earlier. Know how irritatin' it is to be doin' weapons maintenance in the kitchen just 'cause the reaper wants to be close to her? Or how iff'n she goes out or Simon sticks her he gets so tetchy I gotta hide the gorram weapons?"

Kaylee giggles at Jayne's words.

"Twas fate that brought the reaper to the witch, twas a twist of the threads that made their cord and braided them together for all eternity, a fate and a twist crafted by the hands of hell that applaud them when they dance with ribbons and leafs."

Inara's voice is absent and her hands rub a blade clean.

Jayne tilts his head and scowls as Kaylee explains to him an' Zoe, "Words to some song Riv keeps singin' when Riddick's near and he looks at her every couple of minutes."

Zoe smirks, "How ya know where he's looking when his goggles are on?"

Jayne grabs the blade belt and stands to go mend it best he can, trying to help erase the event and to make amends with River so she wouldn't want to collect her pound of flesh. "When he looks at River, when he thinks on River, he shifts. The beast comes out I guess, he gets a bit rougher around the edges and ya can always tell if he's thinkin' someone's offended her or if someone's done something don't sit with him. He grabs a blade, the one she gave him from her pair during the fight wit' the operative's sweep team."

The three women are silent, remembering when the anniversary of the events of truth came about and with them a sweeper team and a cage. A cage with a man that tore out of it and grabbed River right off the ground and slammed her into a wall as purplebellied soldiers tried to kill the others. They don't know the part of the story that was the exchange of Riddick from the sweeper's team to theirs but it was one that was permanent and private.

* * *

><p>Riddick crouches by the table and tries to see River's eyes as she squeezes them shut and he sees her muscles start to shake.<p>

"Lights. Thirty."

As his command is answered by the lights of the infirmary lowering he lifts his goggles off and tilts his head till he's mirroring River.

"You thought I was going to die."

River tries to scoff and make him think he speaks ill but it sticks in her throat. She hopes his thoughts name the sticking to the wound in her stomach. "She wishes to rest."

"Ah, and there it is."

Her eyes snap open with a glare and they are lighter silver and he knows she's less weapon and more woman and he hates it when she cages herself more than he hates it when the stupid brother of hers cages her with pricks and pills.

"Here we go again, you just shuttin' off your emotions and instincts. You always separate yourself with that she and her ruttin shit, when you're you, you're the weapon and the witch and the ballerina of hell."

River swallows and then she lets her anger flare, shoves away her fear for him and the scent of her ice leaves as Riddick can smell more smoldering.

"I kinda want to be more than this." Her words are hissed and Riddick snorts, knows she means she's tired of their only interactions being when they're working and when they're fighting each other.

"So take it easy on me!"

River rolls, drops off the table and stands, kicks the sheet away and stands in the shorts and the bra and the bandages bleeding red. She glares at Riddick with black eyes and screeches, "I'm afraid you're never satisfied!"

"Here we go again," Riddick stands and then in a move that surprised River he pushes the exam table out of his way and nearly pounces on her, pressing her to the wall and trapping her with hands that frame her head. "We're sick like animals, we play pretend."

River shakes confronted by him so gently, their fights were always blow on blow, never once did they pull punches. After all, he was the reaper and she was the angel of death, the familiar to the witch-they fit together when chaos came.

"This ain't our dance Richard."

"Hard to share something with you when you don't let me know who the fuck you are River."

Their words are spat, names used in anger because they never use the labels given by others on each other-they only use the truth, not the wishes of others.

"You're just a cannibal! Eat up the world, play with toys of broken shame!"

The scream echoes through the infirmary and Riddick growls low. River is angry, she was only his toy when he was ready to fight with her. Otherwise, he ignored her and their only interaction was his humming. He never spoke to her unless needed, he never sat with her freely or tried to be her friend. He was friends with every other person of their crew-pack-family but her and she had been the one to bring him into Serenity!

Riddick's low words pull her away before she gets to the memory of a moment when he was much less gentle and she was still between the wall and his chest.

"You're just an actress! Dance on the world's stage, caging yourself and trying not to let your tears hit the ground!"

River pushes against the wall as if recoiling from fire and her stomach is aching so bad and the fire of anger is smoldering in the air. Angry tears well in her eyes and she is so determined not to let him see them she lifts her fist and slams it to his jaw, sends him stumbling as she shakes.

"I'm afraid."

The whisper stills him as he turns back to her shaking form. His eyes look into her dark and light orbs, sees the pool spill down her cheeks.

"I won't get out alive."

"No." His voice is firm but she ignores him and goes on.

"I won't sleep tonight." She swallows and her arms raise to cross and her hands settle on opposite shoulders as her being feels like it's splitting and the fire in her stomach means nothing.

"I won't sleep and I won't feel and I won't be real. I'll be the ballerina sitting in silence. I'll be the the witch sitting without familiar. I'm afraid and I'm lost because the cage is so big I'm never sure where it ends and I begins until the emotions are so strong and it's as if I'm breaking the cage just to dance out the feelings."

Riddick understands her words and the man and beast are shaken to her his witch's words.

He moves to her, grabs her as she shakes and crushes her to his chest as her arms go slack and she lets her wet cheek rest on his shoulder.

* * *

><p>Simon nearly sprints to the infirmary at the sounds of yelling and screaming but stops at the top of the stairs at the sight of Zoe and her mare's leg.<p>

Mal skids in next and Wash follows him.

Calmly, Inara's voice speaks, "We're gonna leave River and Riddick be. Dinner is ready, time to eat."

The three men turn from the scary and pregnant amazon warrior woman and they see Jayne, Kaylee and Inara before them.

"Are you ruttin' kidding me?"

Kaylee rolls her eyes at Mal.

"They need this cap'n. I made stew, I already saved theirs for later now come on."

"I'm going to check on my sister!"

"No, ya ain't doc. Get your ass following yer wife 'er I'ma haul ya there by the neck."

Mal twitches for his gun but Zoe's barrel pressed to the nape of his neck stops him. Kaylee comes over, plucks his gun away and hands it to Inara.

"Shiny. Now, I want you to follow your wife Simon, Zoe, bring my lover to dinner please. Wash, I trust you've sense to escort me?"

Wash flails for words still and he blinks at the sight of Inara handling Mal's gun. Mal curses the day he set out to teach Inara how to really wield a gun but he took it back just as quick as he remembered that was what had them together now, that first day and the ones it caused.

"Yes ma'am."

Below, a crack sounds and worried looks pass. Jayne waves them off, "Just Riddick's jaw. Didn't hear a break, bet Riv jus' cracked him one."

"They kill each other, all of you are gonna be in a world of hurt."

"Mal, please, they belong together. Hopefully, this will show them the truth."

They sit at the table, some forced and some at ease. Zoe keeps her gun in her hand as the other holds her spoon and her husband shifts about as he eats. Mal glares at his lover and the gun she twirls absently as she eats daintily and pretty like. Kaylee chatters away as her husband steams and glares at his bowl. Beside him, Jayne holds a knife just resting on the back of his chair.

* * *

><p>River finally pulls her arms free from between them and now her hands are on his shoulders and she pushes at him to try to get free without the violence she's too drained to handle right now.<p>

Riddick holds her steadily as she makes soft noises, sobs and angry cries. Her movements are weak and he knows she's probably so exhausted from telling him the truth that she ain't got fight left to deal with him how they usually deal.

"I want some more witch."

River stills and then sets her chin in a stubborn show she won't talk more to him, won't give him more knowledge of the true witch, won't give him her mind and soul.

"What are you waiting for?"

River struggles on exhausted and Riddick moves and presses her to the wall, slides his arms from around her and instead plants his palms wrapping about her naked waist just as he'd wrapped them so tightly, with different intentions, around her neck that first time they met.

* * *

><p><em>Riddick paces the cage, paces and paces as he is transported. They'd trapped him, trapped him after some signal came over the screen in his ship and he'd been frozen. Subliminal work, they'd strolled right in and drugged him with a new cocktail mix, one he wasn't immune to. Yet.<em>

_They'd made him their pet, he did clean up and he made a mess doing it._

_He didn't know the target but he was resigned to the fight, the routine. Get out, sight target and kill. Then there'd be whispers and he'd black out till he woke in the cage._

_A life he was living with no escape for two months._

_He'd been told to watch for a slip of a girl, she'd be the biggest threat and she was his target._

_He feels the cage settle and hears the guns that are his announcers._

_The bars in front slide and the steel door swings open and he charges._

_He sees her immediately and he roars as he pounces and grabs her round the throat and squeezes, slams her back into the nearest wall._

_Her eyes are wide and he sees the light in them change to dark hues as she stays still in his grasp, not fighting as he slowly squeezes._

_They are all that exist right now._

_As he stares into her eyes he doesn't notice her hand raise and snatch his goggles as they scratch his cheek. The lights are low and her hand just settles resting on his shoulder as she looks right into his eyes._

"_What are you waiting for? Take a bite of my heart tonight."_

_He squeezes harder, wants her to shut up because that voice is sinking into him like a hot cinder into ice._

"_I want some more."_

_He gives her more, pulls her from the wall and slams her back and squeezes. Her eyes flutter closed but her hearts thrumming and her scent, oh, her scent was all kinds of opium and burned blood and smoldering cinnamon clove and he could smell her adrenaline and faintly the traces of something he'd never encountered before._

"_It ain't pain reaper. It's magic, it's..." He was squeezing and she smiles at him. She opens her eyes and that's the first and only time he puts up the blocks that leave her with just a hum in her mind, the blocks that never once wavered or fell. His grip loosens because he'd just wanted to see her eyes and now he's letting her talk._

"_It's the scent of a beast, a weapon. Angel of death, smelling of hell. Sulfur and dirt, roses and mint. Powerful blood smell, cut with the sweet sugar of cotton candy."_

_And because she named it, he knew the smell. Unlike anything he'd ever encountered._

_Around them, chaos but neither notices._

_His head moves close and his forehead presses to hers. "I'm here to kill you witch."_

"_You're here to dance."_

_He growls and squeezes but she rolls her eyes as she lifts a hand to push at his wrist._

"_Not as a puppet or pet for the same men who once controlled me," he nearly drops her at that, reinforcing his walls but she only knows the fact because it was so obvious due to the scene. "You came to dance with me."_

_Riddick does let go then and her hands move quick, slamming to his jaw and then lowering to her thigh, lifting her dress._

"_The hit was for repayment for the suffocating."_

"_Tit for tat."_

"_Yes." He admires the expanse of thigh as he also looks over the blades on her thigh. She pulls two matching blades, he watches her twirl the shivs. "You take this blade, you won't ever be able to put it down reaper. It will be your scythe, you will use it to cut the bars of your cage and the throats of your supposed masters and then you will be another familiar to the witch."_

_Riddick wraps his hand around hers over the shiv she holds out. He squeezes until she bleeds and holds her gaze. Letting go, he takes the now bloody shiv and brings it to his mouth, flicks his tongue out and tastes her blood and all the scents it contains. Her hand flashes up and scores a cross over his heart, her bloody palm floating to cover the wound as she raises her red blade up and darts a pink tongue to taste him. They stare each other to the soul, heart pounding at the most intimate exchange ever had been in._

"_Tied and sealed in blood reaper."_

"_Time to dance angel."_

_And they did, staying close together and cutting down each others enemies. It was afterward that she walked over to him as he was free, beast and man running wild in him. She shook her head when he offered the blade back, sliding hers into its spot. She stepped close and whispers, "Said goodbye to my heart tonight."_

_Riddick grins as her fingers dance across his only wound from the fight, a thin line of blood on his cheek._

"_Said hello to mine tonight."_

_It's their shared stare that keeps the crew from approaching as Mal and Jayne clean up the mess and Simon soothes the others, mainly Kaylee._

_It was the moment they were truthful, the first and the last._

* * *

><p>Riddick looks over River as he projects the memory. She's silent and she ignores the need to mull over how he can keep up walls but still connect and give her only what he wants her to see.<p>

She shivers. "Here we are again."

"Feel the instincts kicking in, smell 'em." He dips his head and the scents of River drug him till her purrs and the vibrations in his chest make River shiver once more.

She recoils from this, wants to hide and Riddick snarls to smell her icy fear-weaker than when she jumped in front of the bullet with his name on it but present.

"It's getting heavy and I want to run and hide."

"Want to run and hide?"

"I do it every time, you're killing me now. I have to let go."

Riddick growls and his head buries in her neck as his hands squeeze her hips and there will be bruises later but she's seen to it his jaw won't close right for a few days.

"I won't be denied by you, the animal inside of you."

River closes her eyes, squeezes them shut. She lifts her hand and laces her fingers on his nape, dips her thumbs to circle the pulse point behind his ears.

Like a lover soothing a beast.

"I want some more."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

It's his challenge, he wants her to take what she wants because he's unsure if he's on the same dance as she is. She can't see his mind and it scares her to be lost as much as it scares her that he can always find her, the real her.

"For you to take a bite of my heart tonight."

Riddick growls and his body pushes closer.

He smirks against her skin, uses his hold on her hips to lift her up and she stays limp and shaky in his grasp as she is held so she's his height. He dips his head and his mouth settles over her heart, he bites down till he tastes her blood and then his tongue wipes away the drops. He pulls back and sees the mark he's left. His eyes lift to hers and she's biting her lip as her scent drips with the magic she'd shown him.

"Saying goodbye to my heart tonight."

His mistake was making it sound like it'd be her saying the goodbye but he can't correct himself because she is recoiling and her fists are pushing him away until she drops to the ground and she tries to leave as she burns in shame, knowing he knows her wants and having to bear his marks even though he plans to keep himself whole and unmarred.

Riddick grabs her arm, "Hush, hush,"

River tries to pull free and then whirls, a fist to his jaw, "The world is quiet." She spits the words and he knows the quiet is because she ain't in his head and he almost wants to let her in to see the truth but he don't want to frighten her with what's in his mind. Those walls protected her, not him.

"Hush, hush," he tries again, grabs her wrists and lifts them over her head.

River cries out at the pain in her stomach and she breaks out with sweat all over as the pain makes her head swim.

"We both can't fight it."

She thinks the words are from her head and suddenly the world is spinning and it's dark.

Riddick lowers her and releases her, catching her before she falls and he cradles her to his chest.

"It's me that made this gorram mess." His voice is angry now and she twitches in her dark slumber. "Why can't you understand?" His hand pushes her curls back from her sweat shined face. He moves to the stairs, goes up them and toward his bunk. "I won't sleep tonight. I won't sleep till you wake up and understand." His words are a promise and the body relaxes in his grip as he settles on his bed and holds her close, fingers dancing over her features as he memorizes them.

* * *

><p>River opens her eyes silently, feeling pain and remembering what caused it. From the bullet to the blacking out and her face burns in fresh shame and Riddick smells the scents he could track across the skies if it meant he'd reach her.<p>

She shifts and her hand moves to raise to her stomach but she stills as she feels for the first time her hand held gently in someones.

She turns her head and meets Riddick's eyes.

She groans and her head drops with a thud against his chest as she squeezes her eyes shut. "Oh, here we go again."

"Listen angel,"

"No! She will not listen! She has been honest and she has bumbled through a dance that you are making up just to see her reactions and she is tired of you being the only one allowed the be a liar and she is not going to allow you to act until she is shamed once more!"

Riddick growls and his hand moves to knot in her hair, he lifts her head from his chest and locks eyes with her as she glares and tries to pull, his hand following so as not to hurt her too much but he puts his forehead on hers and his hand holds her from moving back or turning.

"I want some more of you witch, I want your honesty. I want you."

"What are you waiting for? I said goodbye to my heart long before last night."

He takes the permission and his lips slide against hers. The kiss is hungry and dangerous and she tastes so much stronger than she smells that Riddick pulls away because now he's the one bumbling for the steps to their dance. River lifts her head and kisses him again and the hold on her hair tightens as it feels as if he's lose control and hurt his witch.

River gasps for breath as she breaks the kiss now, her eyes open and meet his and he's tense and she knows his fear for her. She grins and her free hand raises to his nape, drags him down and as they kiss she fights him for dominance and her nails score into his neck as he hisses pleasure and she shows him just how strong she is, she shows him that they were made to dance together-the reaper and the witch, moving to the rhythm of hell.

Riddick pulls back and breaths against her lips, "Ain't a thing in this 'verse gonna take you from me. You're mine now little angel."

River giggles and pecks his lips, trails her lips to the scar she gave him the first time they met, the cross she scored over his heart. "You've been mine. I was just waiting for you to learn the steps to our dance."

Riddick's dark chuckle makes her shiver and she settles against him, both sleeping soundly in each others arms as the crew mills about, waking up.

* * *

><p>"Can I please go check on my sister now?"<p>

Simon's voice is desperate, Jayne'd sat up on the couch with Boo as the others slept all over the commons.

Zoe arches her back and winces, Wash immediately puts his warm hands atop her shirt and he rubs her back.

"Fine, they should be seein' the truth by now."

Inara nods to approve Jayne's words and Mal and Simon jump up but Wash stays with Zoe, having talked with his lamby toes about the two crazy killers. He understood.

"Uh," Kaylee cautions as they head toward the infirmary. She throws a thumb over her shoulder, "They went to the bunks."

Mal fumes, "Come again?"

Kaylee gulps and looks at her feet but Inara wraps an arm around her shoulders and speaks with ease, "They went to his bunk."

"If he hurt one hair on her head-"

"Shove it, of course he hurt her. She paid him in spades, I'm sure. It's their ruttin dance ya idjit."

Simon glares at Jayne and rushes behind the others to Riddicks bunk. It's open and the ladies climb down first. Wash next, followed by Jayne and Mal. Simon braces himself for the worst and goes downt he ladder, freezing at the sight.

"Wow."

His sister and the escaped murderer are cuddling and sleeping.

Bruises cover his mei mei's hips and it looks like a bite mark on her left shoulder. On Riddick, his jaw is all kinds of colors and blood runs on his neck.

"They're so cute!"

"Took 'em long 'nough."

"Bi zu Jayne, or I'm lettin' my angel collect her due the minute she wakes up."

Jayne steps back toward the ladder as Riddick speaks, eyes still closed. He's ready to bolt if the little demon who owns his friend wakes and remembers he owes her a pound of flesh.

"Awake. But as the man named Jayne saw to our peace, I will not collect the debt for we are even. Besides, I wish to return to sleep. Pleasant dreams and symphonies for our dancing."

Riddick chuckles and shifts, the injured woman settling tighter against him and Mal clears his throat.

"If ya'll plan to be sharin' a bunk now I plan on a new rule: any babes ya'll have ain't so much as lookin' at a weapon till they's at least teens."

River snorts, "That would mean my child could not see me."

"This is very weird. And very good. But weird. Wait. They can't have kids." Riddick and River look at Wash and he shakes his head, frowns, "I don't have enough dinosaurs to hold over more than two..."

River giggles and Riddick shakes his head.

"Hey! When we hittin' land Mal? I can pick up the new tub of dinos from Zo's mom. Then we'd have enough for, what, five kids lamby toes?"

"Or six if you didn't wanna play."

"So five."

"Five."

River sighs as they all ramble and she looks at Riddick. "Just want to sleep. But no, they're already expecting us to have three or four kids. I'm shot, ya know. I can't be making babies at the moment, I can only handle dreams at current conditions."

Riddick nuzzles her cheek and nips her skin playfully. "Glad you ain't scared of the truth."

In their dreams, for they were shared now, he could hear her mind and she could hear his.

"Never scared of her beast."

"Good. But, iff'n ya got notions of kids I'm sayin' this-you won't be leavin' my sight the second your scent changes. No way in hell anything's gonna happen to you an mine."

By now, the crew is climbing out of the bunk and River giggles as she shakes her head, "Silly reaper, our children will be warriors of hell just as their parents."

Riddick growls as he flips her beneath him and her stomach flips, not from her wound but from her want for her mate.

"Gonna have to be careful girl, I ain't 'xactly good with controllin' myself with you, specially now your mine."

"I can be very careful. Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep control of you reaper. Just promise you'll keep control of me so I don't slip back into the cage."

Riddick kisses her, opens his mind to her without the dreams and is surprised to find that her mind is open to his even though this is real life and not their dreams. The kiss is the promise and their ownership over each other is the bridge, twisting together their strings and burning them together with the dancing flames of hell.

* * *

><p><strong>Inspired by: Animal by Neon Trees.<strong>

**Disclaimer: Just the idea is mine, the words of the song aren't. The characters sure as shittin' ain't either. No coin is made, just warm fuzzies that make me smile secretly as I sip my coffee.**


	2. Chapter 2

It's when River is trying to surprise her mate that she is nicked. She was glad, before, when Riddick insisted she be on ship all the time if he weren't with her because with the pregnancy came the loss of her sight for anyone not in her crew-pack-family, specifically meaning she could always be connected to her Riddick and he to her, and thus, both to their child.

So she was planning to sneak out, grab up the gifts that would tell him that their child was not one, that the one voice of their children came from the fact that they were connected and weaved together, three little cubs that would be in sync.

But as she comes to in an ornate, white washed room she drops the guard in her mind and screams for him.

* * *

><p>Riddick bolts to his feet at the sound of his angel, the sound of her screaming for him.<p>

"Mal."

Mal turns from their client to look at Riddick and the absolute fear he sees in the set of his jaw makes him stand, Jayne turning toward them. The client huffs and Riddick glares his way.

"River's been taken."

Mal turns to the client as Jayne and Riddick move to the mule. "We'll run your job but one of my girls has been taken and she's pregnant with that man there's kid. I trust you'll send us the stats and we'll wave you when it's all done."

"Fine. Be sure to keep your crew safe captain, seems they're good people. Hope she's okay. I'll tell my men the pick up may be a few days later than expected, handle your home before your business."

Riddick is trying to focus through River, make her settle enough to tell him where she is buts he's frantic and there's fear that the baby is hurt because she was drugged and she can't hear the voice.

* * *

><p>River stands from the plush bed and when she looks at her body she freezes. She's clad in a nightgown too small for her swollen stomach, a nightgown she left behind with the life that was never hers.<p>

She trembles as she tells Riddick she's at the Tam estate a few districts over from where she'd been shopping not a hundred yards from Serenity.

* * *

><p>It takes an hour to go back to the ship and collect Simon and the others. They pile into the shuttle, flying to the Tam estate as Simon seethes at his parents using drugs against River. She hadn't had drugs since she'd been with Riddick and he'd never even think to give her any while she was pregnant. In his hand, his medical bag was clenched and Kaylee held his other nervously.<p>

* * *

><p><em>In this life I'm me, <em>

_Just sitting here alone._

_By the way, I tried to say I'd be there,_

_For you._

_Walk the silent emptiness,_

_That leads me by my hands,_

_And throw away_

_What I don't understand, as a man._

* * *

><p>Riddick was furious and fearful. His woman and his child had to be okay. There was no other option. If they weren't okay...he doesn't move beyond that prompt.<p>

In his head, River is singing the words to a dance they'd danced when she'd told him her fears of being a mother-she didn't want to find out if any of what was in her creators was in her as a mother.

But the words weren't just hers, they were his. They were the words of a song they shared because the both of them feared hurting each other and hurting their child.

* * *

><p><em>Love-Hate-Sex-Pain.<em>

* * *

><p>River recites the song that is theirs, showing in its words what made up their life and what summed up their fears.<p>

A rattle signals to River the door is opening and she raises her arms to her stomach, it's still quiet and she tries to swallow the fear that brings.

Riddick was coming for her, he would protect her and their little voice from her parents.

* * *

><p><em>It's complicating me sometimes,<em>

_This Love-Hate-Sex-Pain._

_It's underestimated lies._

* * *

><p>River takes a slow breath at the sight of her mother and father and their bodyguards.<p>

Gabriel Tam scans over his daughter and sneers, "Who is he?"

"My mate."

Regan scowls in disgust and River shakes in anger and fear.

* * *

><p><em>And I wonder as I tear my skin,<em>

_It's taken me so long to stitch,_

_These wounds from where I've been._

_And mother please don't bury me._

_I'm begging for my life._

_It's hard to say I will be complete,_

_Before I die._

* * *

><p>Riddick gnashes his teeth and his hand squeezes tight around his shiv till it cuts to the bone in his grasp.<p>

He focuses on soothing his angel and tells her that her reaper is landing now.

* * *

><p>Gabriel motions a doctor forward who holds a syringe of drugs at the ready. River stands shaking, lets her tears spill and tries to appear helpless.<p>

As the doctor grabs her arm she twists and throws him so he lands on his back, River grabs the needle and shoves it into the doctors arm, sending him into hysterics before she slams a barefoot to the side of his head and he sleeps.

She turns and skitters back from the approaching guards.

"Leave her be."

Regan has spoken and the guards step back.

"I'm impressed River, you never were obedient. I was sure this man had broken your heathen spirit. Now, you'll follow us or I'll let the guards hold you down as we take away your child."

River swallows and nods, arms wrapping around her stomach.

"If you harm my babies, I will end you both slowly."

"Babies? Illegitimate grandchildren, I can see the waves we'll get already Regan. But you always were a pain River. Come."

River clenches her fists as she is escorted with guns trained on her.

She beams as the doorbell rings and she happily follows her parents to the foyer.

* * *

><p><em>Love-Hate-Sex-Pain,<em>

_It's complicating me sometimes._

_This Love-Hate-Sex,_

_It's underestimated lies._

* * *

><p>Riddick bounces on the balls of his feet as they wait civilly for the door to open when he wants to kick it in and eviscerate the fuckers who took what was his.<p>

"Easy. They got guards on the gorram roof, ain't likely we'd make it in if Simon weren't here to lull 'em a bit."

Riddick snarls in response and the door opens.

"Simon! Finally! We've been waiting for you to come home son," Regan stops at the sight of her son holding the hand of a little red head hussy.

River growls, "Sister-in-law is not a hussy!"

Garbriel turns and slaps River then ignores her.

Riddick almost growls but River shushes him mentally.

Simon sighs. "Mother, Father. May we come in?"

Gabriel steps forward by Regan, looks over the group and nods. "By all means. Why else would we have grabbed your sister, we wanted you to come home."

River laughs and steps back from them. They turn to her once the others are passed them.

"They just wanted me as a lure, thought Simon would come alone and they would have their son back. But then they saw the swell and knew there'd be a lover. Never thought the bitch had a crew loyal as family should be, loyal as a pack."

Regan shakes her head at River. "Deal with her darling."

"Don't you touch her!" Simon yells.

River steps away again as her father steps toward her, her mind tells Riddick to wait and the crew awaits his signal.

"Not your daughter, just a burden and damaged goods for you to dispose of. I will not allow you to hurt my child and I will not allow you to hurt me."

"What? Wait now, are you so crazy? Is it child or children River?"

River glares at Regan as Riddick looks at her. She turns her eyes to him and smiles, "Snuck out to get a surprise. Identical sets of blankets for our triplets. They are so in sync, thought they were one. Wanted to surprise you reaper. Your angel is sorry for the trouble that caused."

Riddick steps away from the others, toward his mate. Gabriel moves to stop him and Zoe levels her gun under Hope's blanket as Mal and Jayne and Inara sight up as well on guards.

River sighs and steps back once more, holds her stomach and sniffles.

* * *

><p><em>Don't you worry please.<em>

_Don't you leave me,_

_Because surely I slip away,_

_Through Love-Hate-Sex-Pain._

_I fall away into, _

_Love-Hate-Sex-Pain._

* * *

><p>Shots ring out and guards fall. Riddick turns and cracks a fist to Gabriel's temple. River steps silently, is behind Regan before she turns to move toward her troublesome whore daughter. River's hand grabs Regan's throat and she hisses, "Don't know who you're fucking with." Throwing her mother down, she watches her head hit the marble and smiles as she passes out.<p>

Riddick is before her, Simon at his side and the others are coming toward them.

"Simon, I wouldn't let them give me an injection-gave it to the doctor instead and he was hysterical, they tried to take our babies Riddick! I can't hear them, they're silent!"

Now, River lets her fear break her sanity and though Riddick knows Simon needs to check his sister Riddick grabs his mate up and holds her as she sobs.

"It's okay. We're going home, an' you an' our babies will be fine."

"What if they aren't? What if...I will be the reason why my children..." she hiccups a sob and Riddick shakes with fury.

"I am the biggest, baddest thing there is. I am not going to let those pathetic excuses for life take away what's ours baby. We run hell, it don't run us-this is our dance and we make the music. Dong ma?"

"Dong xi, dong xi, oh, please..."

Riddick pulls her closer and his mind tells her he ain't mad at her and he ain't leaving her. His mind tells her what she should know, reminds her they belong together and own each other. Reminds her about the night they were honest and all the promises that came to pass that just twisted and melted their threads together even more.

The crew-pack-family feels their hearts tug at the absolute pain in the couple and Jayne growls as he shoots down a few more guards coming to do them in.

"Jayne. Stop shooting and grab those two hun dans."

Jayne turns a surprised look to Simon and then he grins and collects the limp bodies as Riddick lifts his lover into his arms. They walk out, Zoe smirking as Wash already starts making this a story for Hope-he puts actions with the words and Hope screeches back gibberish as she watches her father, oblivious that crime ain't part of a normal baby's life.

* * *

><p><em>Love-Hate-Sex-Pain,<em>

_It's complicating me sometimes._

_This Love-Hate-Sex-Pain,_

_It's underestimated lies._

* * *

><p>Simon brings his parents to and they're strapped down to tables as River sits staring at them from Riddick's lap. The whole crew is present in the infirmary.<p>

"I want the name of the drug you gave my sister."

Both a silent and Riddick begins to itch to shiv them again.

"Soon."

He settles as River snuggles closer and stares at the life givers she was sick to be related to.

"Fine. Let's see...River, where'd you hide your meds?"

River smirks as she hears his plan and she wishes she could read her parents minds and not just know what she was used to hearing from them. She points to the top of the med cabinet and Simon boosts Kaylee onto the counter, she laughs as he catches her and sets her down, running a hand along her waist as he kisses her in thanks.

Regan scrunches up her nose. "Simon, you could do so much better. That little slut may be a good roll but she's not in your class Simon!"

Kaylee turns red and River beckons her sister-in-law over, takes her hand and smirks as Simon clenches his jaw.

"Can't say I ever seen our doc so angry a'fore. Ya'll are pretty grating on the nerves though, I oughta pour 'im a drink just for not killing ya'll for so long."

Inara laughs at Mal's taunting and Gabriel and Regan curse him in Mandarin.

Zoe looks at Hope and the sleeping baby snores. Wash holds Zoe in his arms and they lean in the doorway.

"Ya know," Zoe tries to speak casually, "fact of the matter is ya'll ain't kin of no one here. But, see, we're all each other's kin here. Some by marriage, some by blood. Some by fate. From the words River told me about you two, best be glad you ain't dead yet 'cause ain't right monsters like you two should live."

The sharp edge to her voice makes Wash grin into her neck and he glances to see the Tams shifting. Poor Simon and River, linked to those worthless fools.

"So...ready to talk?"

Simon smiles at his parents as he holds a large syringe full of various doses of the drugs he'd used on River at one point or another.

"Your sister is a liar and a dramatic, spoiled brat. She should have been hidden the second she showed she was special-she's not right Simon. She needs to be put down."

Simon looks over at his sister and smirks, "She's very special. She's right too, very much a brat and a liar when a lie needs to be told, but always right. She's perfect just as she is. You however, need a few things changed. We'll get to that."

Jayne grins and his body leans forward, eager to get to work.

"Now, this might sting. These are various meds I had to give River before when I was trying to get her fixed. But, she didn't need fixed. So now, I've researched a few other uses for some of these. Did you know that a a cocktail of just three can make a very nice serum that can make a person feel as if they're boiling from the inside out? This blend, however, loosens the tongue. And the mind. But still."

Gabriel struggles and Simon watches as the drugs work him over.

Regan stares in horror and as he goes to inject her screeches a name that bears meaning only to the doctor.

"Good girl Regan. Now, what were you trying to give her?"

Again, she answers quickly as Gabriel suffers beside her. Simon nods. Riddick growls as River shivers. "Thank you. Good girl. Now, this may sting." Regan screams and curses as Simon injects her the rest of the cocktail. He tosses the syringe aside and goes toward River as Regan and Gabriel muddle through their first stage of hell.

"The second shot would have killed the baby-babies, sorry. How many now?"

Simon smiles at his sister and she sniffles but beams, "Three."

"Ah, well, my nephews or nieces in there will be okay. I'm glad they didn't get the second shot in, it'd of made you barren and slowly killed you."

"First shot doc."

Simon sighs and looks at Riddick. "She'll be okay."

River swallows and shakes, "The babies?"

Simon moves to her and looks into her eyes.

"On someone normal the child would dead. It would come out a stillborn."

Riddick roars and River shakes her head, pushes away from Simon. His hand raises to his sister's cheek and he looks at her and Riddick.

"Normally. River, you're not normal. You're special. And Riddick ain't normal either. You see?"

River quiets and then throws her arms around Simon's neck.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Oh, remind me to wave the Alliance and thank them for making me special!"

Riddick chuckles as their crew-pack-family does as well. He smirks as River releases Simon and hugs him close, kissing him and talking between fevered, happy pecks. "Thank you for being a Furyan alpha warrior! And for being special and immune to so much and...thank you!"

Happy tears stain River's cheeks but Kaylee and Inara cry as well and Zoe and Wash know speaking would mean a cracking voice.

Mal lets go of the breath he's been holding and hugs his lover close. Jayne tightens his grip on Binky, now he'd get play with the parents because if those kids was dead he knew Riddick and River'd be the only ones to put down the monsters. He intended to pay them for every bad story he'd ever heard from the two who were his crew-pack-family.

* * *

><p><em>Love-Hate-Sex-Pain,<em>

_It's complicating me sometimes._

_This Love-Hate-Sex-Pain,_

_It's underestimated lies._

* * *

><p>River stands and holds her stomach with a smile. Simon sends her a warning look. "I want you on bed rest until the drug is completely out of your system. And if you so much as think of going out alone again..."<p>

Riddick grabs her up, pulls her back onto his lap and nuzzles her neck. "No way my angel's leaving hell's gates again. Not for a while."

"Affirmative, I will stay where I belong. My children need to rest after all."

Simon nods. "Good, now, River, stay off your feet. The kids should be awake in there in a few hours. They'll be sluggish, don't expect them to kick any time this next few days. Then, you'll have to deal with lots of kicking when the drug leaves their systems-it's going to make you antsy as well."

River nods solemnly and Riddick looks over the two targets.

"Alright, let's go eat."

The chirped words from Kaylee make River grin and Jayne pouts.

Riddick looks at him, "Now, now. You're the guard here Jayne, what makes you think you get to leave our little targets here?"

Riddick's look tells Jayne that Binky could be part of the guarding and Simon sighs. "I'll bring you a plate Jayne. Wait to finish eating please, we want this to last and you're nicer when you're full."

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Mal glares at them and he scowls, "I ain't lettin' a one of you start nothin' till Riv gets hers. My 'tross gets hers first, dong ma?"

River laughs and cuddles Riddick. "She has already requested the reaper take care of her gifts to the targets. She included Kaylee's spin on it as well."

Kaylee blushes as Simon looks at her and she mutters, "Was just thinking they hadn't ever had so much as dirt under their nails. Figured it was time they got some splinters."

Simon wraps an arm around her waist, "I love you when you're my sweet little Kaylee but the evil twin is a close second as the love of my life."

She kisses him as River giggles.

Riddick clears his throat, "Any other suggestions-"

"I have one!" Wash exclaims.

"A few over here." Inara's voice is cold.

"Can be talked on over dinner. Let's go. Cobb, don't waste too much effort. They're drugged up in the first stage of this thing."

River smirks at Jayne, "You would be better suited to come eat with us, get ideas with Riddick. Besides, you'll want seconds."

Jayne grins at her and sheaths Binky.

"Smart man. Zoe made roast."

Wash's comment sends a round of hungry moans through the group and they walk out together, up the stairs and away from the two people squirming and muddling through pain at a beginner's level.

* * *

><p>Riddick sets River down finally, on their bed. He kisses her and can taste the drugs that tarnish her sweet spicy taste.<p>

"Your children are stirring Riddick," River breaths the words against his lips and he smiles.

His body moves down her and his speaks to her stomach. "Ya'll three gave me a scare. Hope you three don't plan on doing that often, I ain't got the patience to be thinking you'll be like your momma."

River slaps him lightly and he catches her hand and nips it.

"Take it easy in there cubs. Rest."

River laughs as she feels a kick and Riddick looks at her, "I think I just got kicked in the face."

"You did. By your daughter."

Riddick smiles so big River has to laugh at the look on his face.

"Any sons?"

"Just the two."

"I got sons and a little girl. Nice to know."

River rolls her eyes, "Yes."

Riddick blinks and then chuckles.

"Sorry, but he's as good a first one to hear as any."

"I understand. Now, go to business. I'll be here when you've finished...then we can shower."

The wicked growl that leaves his lips makes River laugh before he kisses her.

* * *

><p>Jayne stands with Riddick as they look at the two people not passed out in the chairs.<p>

"Hey," Jayne looks at Riddick who smirks as he wields the shiv River'd given him that first time. "Two sons. And a little girl who seems like she'll be a kicker like her momma."

Jayne hoots and slaps Riddick's back with a wide grin.

The pair before them startles awake.

Riddick sobers and glares at them. The lights are down and his goggles off. Jayne follows suit.

"Well hello there. Seems we got business since ya two wanted to take what's mine. You hurt my angel and my cubs. So, we're gonna fix that."

Jayne pulls Binky and licks the tip, eyes to see if it's too sharp. Too sharp and they won't feel the cuts and he wants them to feel the cuts.

"That girl you ain't worthy to parent is a friend to me. And her man here's like a brother, so I guess that makes her damn near kin too. Well, I ain't too keen on the fear I seen on his face when ya'll took what ya never wanted in the first so we're gonna have to do something. We'll start slow."

Riddick moves closer and Jayne closes the door. Didn't want to get blood everywhere.

At the first splinter Regan is surprised she can't scream out.

Riddick leans down and looks into her eyes.

"Oh. About that. See, Simon didn't want ya'll to wake up Hope or River. So, he did a shiny ruttin job on silencing ya."

Regan looks over at Gabriel, for the first time taking her eyes from the beast before her. Gabriel is silent though wood pricks his nail beds. A fine row of stitches form a line over his throat and Jayne mutters, "Just means we gotta save the neck work for after the drugs wear off. We can find plenty to do in the hours a'fore then, eh?"

* * *

><p>Simon checks on River as the day wears on. He knows Jayne and Riddick will be busy long into the night cycle but he doesn't mind-rather, he's worried all the requests the crew-pack-family had come up with wouldn't get done before Regan and Gabriel died. And that was a waste of some beautiful thinking.<p>

"Oh, Simon," Inara starts to see the doc and he starts to see her. And the others.

On the bed with River Hope is sleeping as Zoe and Wash sit on the floor by the bed. Mal and Inara are at the desk and all but Inara are asleep.

Simon chuckles. "I'll tell Kaylee. We'll bring blankets."

Soon, the two return with blankets for everyone and the lot of them settles down to rest and watch over River. It'd be a shock for Riddick to walk in and see he didn't get River to his lonesome but Simon figured he'd get over it by the peace that was clear on River's face as she slept.

* * *

><p>It was when they dumped the bodies that they had a spot of trouble.<p>

"Mal! That contact's waving wanting to know why we're taking so long!"

River laughs, "He believes me dead, thinks that means once the job is done the reaper will kill his men if they are breathing funny."

Riddick rumbles a laugh and Mal curses. "Alright, hurry with the bits and pieces there, we got a job to do. Riddick, take River to answer the wave, hm?"

River beams and she talks with the contact for a while, winning him over.

When business is done and they're heading to Bellafryne-a planet passed the ghost lands full of arts, River is humming a new song as Riddick carries her. She blinks when she sees the whole crew gathered at the kitchen table because it wasn't chow time. And then she smells cake and the kids start kicking.

They all laugh and revel in the baby shower as River's swollen stomach dances with life and strength.

* * *

><p><strong>Inspired by: Love-Hate-Sex-Pain by Godsmack.<strong>

**This was an idea I got today in the car and it wouldn't let me do anything till I spaced it here. So, hope everyone enjoys.  
><strong>


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